Electrolytic fishing



R. -soMEz ELECTROLYTIC FISHING Filed Get.V 31, 1938 INVENTOR @1w/26me! BY g ATTORNEY Patented Apr.` 22, 1941 ELECTBOLYTIC FISHING Ramon Gomez, Halifax,

assigner to Ramon Pere Nova Scotia, Canada, ch. New York, N. Y.

Application October 31, 1938, Serial No. 237,930

3 Claims.

This invention relates, to new and useful improvements in an electrolytic device.

By means of experiments as to the iniiuence of an electric current on fish, it has been ascertained that in a ileld of a constant electric current fish are moving along its lines in the direction from the negative pole to the positive pole (from the cathode to the anode).

During these experiments it was possible to direct sardines, as well as herrings, and accumulate them in masses at the anode.

The device used in these experiments consists of two hoops or squares and between them are stretched electrodes in wire of a given polarity, and between the centers, electrodes of the opposite polarity. The current runs through an insulated conductor from the generator to the elec trodes. Beneath the lower hoops a net is placed.

When the device is dipped into water and the current is switched on, an electric iield is formed in the interior and around the device. 'I'he fish that are within the iield at the moment the current isvswitched on, move towards the anodes, where they gather in dense swarms. If the anode is shifted or moved upwards, the iish swarm follows it.

The property of a constant electric current to direct ilsh from the cathode to the anode, and to A,gather them around the latter, forms the principle of a most radical method of bolting in iish in an electric ileld, instead of the present expensive and diflicult methods of keeping ilsh in nets. In every case the important thing is to see to it that' the current circulating between the electrodes brings about such a diierence of potential, such an electric gradient that the fish are kept in the depth oi' the bay and do not approach the outlet.

According to this invention, the method con sists in setting up, in bays teeming with ilsh, floating batteries of cathodes and anodes. When the current is switched on, this system brings about an electric ileld within which the whole mass of iish that have penetrated into it, are bolted in. Such electric boltingin, has been carried out in various experimental electrical elds.

'I'he experiments have shown that by reducing the power of the variable resistance, one can obtain denite diilerences of potential, with a very reduced expenditure of electric energy. f

It has been further ascertained that with a power of kilowatt," it is possible to obtain diierences of potential equal to those that are brought about with a power oi' several kilowatts. For an electric bolting in of 100 to 150 meters, e. power of about 20 kilowatts would be necessa As it has been proved by the experiments, it is necessary to obtain, at a. distance of several meters from the cathode, a difference of potential,

or electric gradient, of 2 to 5 millivolt per centimeter. The graphite electrodes are spherical. The tension between them attains 40 v. The distance between the cathodes is 10 -meters in width and depth.

More specically, the invention proposes the construction oi a fishing device characterized by the provision of a pair of vertically spaced hoops or squareswith a plurality of anodes and cathodes supported between the hoops or squares.

Still further it is proposed to provide a basket or net supported and extended below the bottom hoop and extending beyond the sides thereof for catching the sh as the device is raised from the water.

Still further it is proposed to form the anodes and the cathodes oi separate sections telescopically connected together and to provide a means for urging these sections apart and a means for holding them in various iixed positions so that the operative length thereof may be controlled by adjusting the position of said sections.

-For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reiference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, it being understood that the latter are for purposes of illustration only and are Vnot intended as a definition of the invention. For this latter purpose reference will be had to the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure:

` Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an electrolytic fishing device constructed according to this invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of Fig. 1. c Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-.3 of Fig. 2 showing the net in plan view.

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of ,the center cathode.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on thel line 5 5 oi' v Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on the line 1 1 of Fig. 2. v

Fig. 8 is a schematic wiring diagram of the device.

Fig. 9 is a similar view to Fig. 3 but showing another shape of the invention.

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatical view showing the bolting in arrangement for fish in a' bay.

The electrolytic device, aoco to t invention, comprisinga pair of vertically spaced hoops i@ and i i., The hoops .it and ii have the same diameter and are arranged one above the other. A plurality of anodes it and cathodes i3 are supported between the hoops it and ii. a cathode i t is supported axially between the hoops 1i@ and iiupon support bars it.

A means, is provided for controlling the operative length ofthe cathodes and anodes hereinafter referred to as electrodes. Each oi the cleoa trodes is formed of separate sections one of which is nxedly attached to the hoop i@ and other of which is xedly attached to the hoop ii with the ends thereof in alignment.. The upper sections or the electrodes are providedat their bottom ends with outwardly extended ianges it which slidably engage into the bottom sections of electrodes. The bottom section is formed at its: upper end with an inwardly extending it: t. il Vwhich 'cooperates with'the ange it for preventing the lupper section from becoming accidentally disenlgaged from the bottom section. A spring iii oi the ends attached to the inner periphery of the hoops 2t. Hioisting cables BTI are provided for lowering the device into a body of water for catching the nsh. it its bottom end the hoisting cable 21 branches out into a plurality of auxiliary cables tioeach of which has its free end iixedly at` increased or decreased for making the devicen operative oi larger area or a smaller area, dependexpansion type is located within each of .the bottions. This means is associated with the center cathode I 4 which is supported axially of the center of the hoops lo and ii. This cathode is also formed of separate sections ida and Mb. The upper section Ilia is slidably engaged into the bottom section Hb. The upper section has a shaft it turnably engaged therethrough andvwhich extends from the top thereof and is provided with a handle Isa. The shaft i9 near its bottom end is formed with an outwardly extended peg 2o which engages through a horizontal elongated slot 2'I formed near the bottom of the section `ia (see Fig. 6). This slot 2l permits the shaft it to be lslightly turned for changing the position of the peg 20.

The bottom section Mb is provided with a bayonet slot 22 throughout its entire length and which is provided with al plurality of branches 22a intowhichthe peg 2t may be selectively engaged for holding the sections of the electrodes in, various ixed positions. A spring to 'of the expansion type operates between .the bottom end of the section Mb and thebottom end of the section ila for urging the top section Ma and the shaft i 9 into a position in =which,the peg it will be located within one of the branches 22a. Each of the branches 22a is connected with the main portion of the slot 22 by means of a horizontal intermediate portion 22b extending therebetween.

A basket or net 24 is supported upon and below the bottom hoop il and extends past the sides thereof. The top edges of the basket or net 2B are attached to a large circular hoop 25 having a. diameter greater than the bottom hoop il so that the bottom hoop may be positioned within the larger hoop 25. A means is provided ior supporting the basket or net 24 upon the lower hoop Il so that as the fish drop from the anodes `i2 they will fall in to the basket or net. This means comprises a plurality of outwardly extending brackets 26 which are attached to the outer periphery of the hoop -ii which have their outer ing upon requirents. Ii the device is positioned in an entrely large body oi" water, the current may be increased for spr its eect over a larger portion oi the body oi' water., or it the device is positioned in a smaller body of water the current may be decreased for preventing the loss of energy not needed for catching sh within the vicinity.

The operation of the device is as follows:

The device is lowered into the body of water and the current is turned on through the circuit 2d and the rheostat 2t is adiusted to meet the 1": c odiate requirements. As the current passes through the anodes and cathodes the sh in the vicinity will f: s that it is better to fiock towards the anodes rather than remain in any other position of the water and will tend to take positions around the anodes. The anodes and cathodes are arranged in alternating positions between the hoops io and ii and as the current passes therebetween it will set up a circular barrier having a diameter substantially equal to that of` the hoops. Any ilsh located Within the circumference of the outer anodes and cathodes will be prevented from escaping by a barrier of electricity passing between the alternating anodes and cathodes. After a sumcient number of sh have been drawn to the device they may be raised from the water, and when the surface is reached the sh positioned around the anodes and cathodes will fall into the basket 24 where they will be caught.

For controlling the operative length of the anodes and cathodes the handle i9a is pressed inwards against the holding action of the spring 23 to cause the peg 2li to move along the length of the branch 22a within which it is located to a position adjacent the intermediate portion 22h to permit the shaft i 9 to be rotated to align the peg 20 with the body of the bayonet slot 2 2. In this position the length of the yanodes and cathodes may be changed by pressing inwards to shorten them or release them to permit the springs' i8 and 23 to extend the top sections thereof to the desired position. When the desired position is again reached the handle I9 is rotated to cause the peg 20 to move along the adjacent intermediate portion 22h to .align the peg with the respective branch 22a so that when the handle Ita is released the spring 23 will urge the shaft i9 and the section lla outwards to cause the peg 20 to be engaged into the branch 22a to hold it xedly in position.

In Fig. 9, the reinforcing wires Il' and 25' are shown to be rectangular. Any other shaped trame and netting may also be used in connection with this invention. The nets may also be en tirely eliminated if so desired.

In Fig. 1o th my' :o is provided with a. pluright is reserved to all changes and modifications4 coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

As shown, cathode units I3 are located across bay 30 adjacent the mouth or outlet thereof and anode units I2 are preferably positioned in the bay in lines parallel to said cathodes, adjacent the bight of said bay. The flow of current from cathode to anode creates an electric field throughout substantially the entire bay and sh are conned therein being unable to escape therefrom because of the electrical barrier created by the cathodes at the outlet. Furthermore, because of the direction -of current flow the sh are caused to swim to and mass around anodes l2 at the bight end of the bay where said sh may be conveniently caught by any of the well-known methods. It will be understood that this novel method may be utilized to trap fish in any partially enclosed body of water, e., a body of water enclosed on substantially three sides thereof and having a mouth or outlet opening to some other bodyof water.

I claim:

1. The method of fishing wherein electrolytic means are utilized which consists in lowering electrodes into a body of water containing tlsh, energizing said electrodes to cause a constant current to now therebetween, keeping said electrodes submerged until a quantity of fish is attracted to the anode, and raising said electrodes to the surface of the body of water thus causing the fish to swim therewith to the surface.

2. An electrolytic iishing device, comprising a pair of vertically spaced frames, a plurality of anodes and cathodes supported between said frames, means for supplying a constant electric current to said electrodes including a rheostat for controlling said current, each of said anodes and said cathodes being formed from separate sections telescopically connected together, re-

silient means for urging said sections apart, and means for holding the sections at variousl fixe positions.

Av'3. In an electrolytic fishing device, a plurality of anodes and cathodes, each of said anodes and said cathodes being formed from separate sections telescopically connecteditogether, means for urging said sections apart, and means for holding the sections at various fixed positions,

Y said last-named means comprising a member pivotally mounted in one of said sections, said member having a peg radially extending therefrom and adapted to selectively engage one of a plurality of slotsin the other of said sections.

RAMON GOMEZ. 

